1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera with a digital image pickup element that uses image pickup elements such as CCD and CMOS imagers, and more particularly to a method for storing captured digital image data.
2. Description of the Related Art
Because there is a limit to the capacity of a storage element for storing image data in cameras with digital image pickup elements, the following storage methods have been used.
Firstly, a digital image data storage method is known that relates to digital still cameras. In this storage method, digital image data is sequentially stored in free memory areas. Photographic operations are disabled when there is no more , space left in memory.
Another known digital image data storing method relates to surveillance cameras. In this storage method, digital image data of monitored images is sequentially recorded in memory. When there is no more free space in memory, image data is saved by overwriting in the area in which old digital image data is recorded.
Simply put, the camera of the present invention comprises: an exposure means for exposing an object image onto film; image pickup means for capturing the above object using an image pickup element; a storage means for storing the digital image data captured using the above image pickup means; a mode setting means that enables setting of a digital photographic mode, which executes only image pickup operations for digital images, or a hybrid photographic mode that executes both image pickup operations for digital images and operations to expose images onto film; and a control means that controls the operations of the above storage means.
When there is insufficient free storage capacity in the above storage means, the control means controls the storage means so that new digital image data overwrites old digital image data that has been stored in the storage means in the above digital photographic mode.
The objects and advantages of the present invention will become further apparent from the following detailed explanation.